Where to buy strap material

Hi everyone. I finally found a full face mask that works for me, but I'm having issues with the straps. I'd like to design/build my own straps. Where can I get sheets or strips of the material that is being used for these straps?

They don't give the clearest descriptions of what the stuff actually is made of...do you think it's the same thing as in wetsuits (neoprene)? Here's a website for that: http://www.foamorder.com/neoprene.html.

You can find all sorts of stuff at the big box fabric stores. I don't frequent them enough to know if there's good mask strap type stuff.

I was thinking about this myself yesterday... while I like the colour blue, I was thinking that I would like to have headgear in a more feminine colour/pattern. I took sewing in high school back in the 1980's and I have a sewing machine at home, so I thought that perhaps I can make my own headgear -- i.e. buy a piece of suitable material and trace my current headgear onto it and cut it out and use the sewing machine to attach the velcro bits.

I am at w*rk right now until 3:30pm (Pacific time) and there is a fabric shop on my way home that I could go and check out for you all, just to see what they've got.

Will get back to you all by Midnight Eastern time with the results of what I find. If I find somthing suitable, I'll see if I cant jerryrig something up within the next few days and post some pics .

Am home from w*rk and a quick zip through the fabric store.

I did not find any neoprene there, so I am thinking that I would have to go to a specialty store.

I did see some fleece, but I think that to get it to suit our purposes, one would have to add on some canvas and flannel.... i.e. the flannel would touch the skin & hair, then use something called fusible web, to attach it to either some canvas fabric or some stiffer interfacing and then use more fusible web to attach the fleece.

IMNSHO, It is not really worth the time and money to do this, and if the neoprene is not readily available, one would likely have to resort back to buying online.

I would try army surplus stores or big sporting / fishing supply stores for neoprene.
The reason they use neoprene is because it has some stretch and doesn't require finishing. You can cut it and it doesn't ravel. If was was going to bother making them myself I would use heavy duty lycra and Elastic- the kind used in super support bras.

I found several neoprene items in the clearance bins at Target.
Beach pillows, netbook covers.
Even at full price, still a good deal less than the headgear prices.
Beware! Neoprene is a b*tch to sew! --just saying.

The straps seems to be a three layer affair. It does appear to be a neoprene core with a felt side for sticking to the velcro and a nylon side that touches your face. Someone makes and sells this stuff. Or, can I buy just the straps from a mask supplier and cut/fit as needed?

some of the dollar stores have elastic traps with velco ends, they come 2 in a pack. I use them when travelling with my cpap bag as two velco'd together go round my P B machine bag . They are each 1 1/4 ins wide by 18 ins long with 4 ins of velco at each end, maybe they have something a bit narrower, PERHAPS they might be suitable for something, or for a mock up. Rested Gal and others have used panty hose i.l.o. one of the masks headgear and with great success it seems.

As long as we're talking about making straps, I found super thin hook and loop tape at Lowe's --
It is electric cord organizer ties, they come in a big roll, and seems to be strong enough to work.--cheap, too.

I used a THICK pair of suspenders to make my Cpap straps. and it works quite well.

blou4now wrote:I used a THICK pair of suspenders to make my Cpap straps. and it works quite well.

I have seen the elastic type material used in pants waste band in the fabric area at Walmart. Some other things there that might work too. Or just use the headgear from a mask you are not using.

After reading this post, I used 2 packages of 3/4 inch braided elastic and a few safety pins to make a reasonable replacement for the Quattro FX headgear. The safety pins are temporary until I remember to order some clips. I haven't put a cover on the lower elastic because it doesn't bother me without one.

I added a strap over the top of the head by wrapping a piece of elastic around the upper straps and adjusted it to keep the top strap off my ears and help things stay more stable. This has helped to reduce 'mask farts' at the bottom corners of the mask. It also reduces scalp irritation from my hair being pressed against it.

It would have been easier to find the right size of elastic if I had taken the mask part where I needed to connect the elastic with me to the fabric store but I didn't and found the 1" elastic I bought first was just a bit wide for the bottom mask connection loop on my small Quattro FX. I tried both the braided elastic and the softer non-roll type and found the non-roll not as comfortable as the braided. I haven't had problems with the braided elastic rolling.

To reduce the bore factor of all white I think the elastic may get a swim in some thin fabric paint or be switched from white to black with a paint spatter design using opaque fabric.

fiberfan wrote:After reading this post, I used 2 packages of 3/4 inch braided elastic and a few safety pins to make a reasonable replacement for the Quattro FX headgear. The safety pins are temporary until I remember to order some clips. I haven't put a cover on the lower elastic because it doesn't bother me without one.

I added a strap over the top of the head by wrapping a piece of elastic around the upper straps and adjusted it to keep the top strap off my ears and help things stay more stable. This has helped to reduce 'mask farts' at the bottom corners of the mask. It also reduces scalp irritation from my hair being pressed against it.

It would have been easier to find the right size of elastic if I had taken the mask part where I needed to connect the elastic with me to the fabric store but I didn't and found the 1" elastic I bought first was just a bit wide for the bottom mask connection loop on my small Quattro FX. I tried both the braided elastic and the softer non-roll type and found the non-roll not as comfortable as the braided. I haven't had problems with the braided elastic rolling.

To reduce the bore factor of all white I think the elastic may get a swim in some thin fabric paint or be switched from white to black with a paint spatter design using opaque fabric.

Sounds promising. If I go to a fabric store and ask for "braided elastic" they will know what it is?

xkexk8 wrote:If I go to a fabric store and ask for "braided elastic" they will know what it is?

It depends on the fabric store. If you go in a chain fabric store it is probably safer to ask where elastic is and look for a box or package that includes the word braided.